Why we need Austerity!

There seems to be some confusion in Irish politics. Indeed the electorate in the main are poorly informed about politics in general. We rely on Government sponsored radio and television. Our newspapers are owned and run by very wealthy people who have a vested interest in maintaining the type of society in which we exist.

The confusion as I see it is about choice and the way we form our political opinions. People don’t dare to question the failed system that his led us to the brink of ruin, and we imagine this system will somehow pull the rabbit from the hat and save us. But it won’t because it can’t? Capitalism doesn’t work for the majority of citizens. By its very nature capitalism is selective about those it rewards.

If one is to examine its history it is like the worse excesses of soviet communism, capitalism is dominated by a tiny minority. But these people hold and control the purse strings. So independent states like Ireland have to trade their sovereignty in order to fund its public services. This loss of sovereignty is not just fiscal—but it also erodes our sense of nationhood. The result is catastrophic—soon this contagion will destroy the very fabric of our communities.

The word Austerity has been misused in relation to all of this. Austerity is badly needed after all of the greed and the credit bubble. We as citizens are responsible for the creation of the Celtic tiger—the silly property deals and the mortgage explosion. Each one of us bought into this ideologically driven sham.
Austerity is badly needed—but my problem is with the brand of austerity currently in vogue,it is concentrated exclusively on the poor and disadvantaged.

The well off can absorb austerity with far more comfort than the old and the sick. Yet this Government ideologically have chosen to exclusively punish the poor for the failures in the capitalism system. However what worries me most is the level of compliance shown by our citizens. When voters go to the polls in the next general election where will they cast their vote?

Well we have our FG—suits who claim that AIB bank are so vital to our economic future—that we must pay one billion to unsecured bondholders? There is the stealth like FF, who are so busy trying to reposition themselves they fall over things, until they finally have to stand up and support the government. Labour are not worth a mention—as they will probably disband after the next election. We have a few worthy socialists and leftists who will scream and shout but get nowhere. Of course there is SF—the great white hope.

The problem with SF and many of the genuine people who are supporting them—is not in economic thinking or the war in North of Ireland. No, SF are capitalists too. So their solution is to buy into a system that is proven not to work. A system that is ruthlessly anti citizen. Capitalism that rewards the few but fails the majority. I hear people say that SF are left wing and have a strong sense of socialism. But they are clearly not any of those. In the next government they may get to share power but with whom? Are FF their natural allies?




SF preach a softer brand of capitalism than the suits in FG and FF—but like the labour party how much of that can they bring with them into government? Remembering that part of buying into capitalism is the trading of sovereignty and the adoration of banks. People should realise that socialism is not anti business. In fact under an imaginative socialist system I contend this Island could support 20 million people. At present we can’t support 5 million. People will say get real—and in the real world. The real world as we have it, is imposing austerity on the weak and vulnerable. We have government representatives telling us that in the real world our future lies with banks—and 1 billion payments to unsecured bondholders? The real world indeed!